Experience in leadership can sometimes be the thing that makes one candidate’s CV stand out over another’s. It’s pretty common knowledge that this skill is valuable on the job market, but how do you develop it? It can be tricky, especially if you don’t have any experience in this area yet. However, there are some things you can do as a student that will set you up for success in leadership down the line. Here is how students can improve their leadership skills.
Learn By Example
Before you learn to be a leader, you must learn to be a follower. You probably have more leaders in your life than you realise — lecturers, tutors, bosses, counselors, parents. Observe the approaches these individuals use and note what works for them. Then, you can incorporate those elements into your own strategy.
Be a Student Mentor
Being a student mentor is a great position to test out your leadership skills. Usually, this type of role will involve volunteering some of your time to help out first year students on your course. You will set up meetings with them on certain topics, get the conversation going, and field any questions they may have. It’s not too much pressure, and it’s a great way to help out others.
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Run for Student Government
Another great way to build leadership skills is to get involved in student government. One great entry point for student government is being a student representative. This role involves speaking with peers on your course and discussing changes they would like to see implemented. Then, you bring those concerns to university leadership within your subject’s faculty. It’s a great way to work on negotiating and compromise, as well as affecting positive change.
Join Societies or Sports
Another method for how students can improve their leadership skills is through extracurriculars. Societies and student sport organisations also have leadership structures in place. Working as a treasurer or president of one of these groups is a great way to learn how to communicate, delegate, and organise events. It’s a great way to meet people that you share common interests with, too.
Volunteer
If you have some spare time on your hands, volunteering is a great way to not only work on your leadership skills, but also make a positive difference in the world. Normally, you won’t be able to jump into a leadership position right away as a student, but put in the time and those doors will often open for you.